Author: Claudinne Miller
Congo’s health ministry identifies flu-like disease as severe malaria
CBC Democratic Republic of Congo’s health ministry said on Tuesday that a previously unidentified disease circulating in the southwestern Kwango province is a severe form of malaria. Earlier this month, local authorities said the disease had killed 143 people in the country’s Panzi health zone in November. The symptoms of the disease are fever, headache, […]
Dec 17, 2024
Delaware reports probable human case of H5 bird flu
BNO News A probable case of H5 bird flu was found during routine flu surveillance in Delaware, according to state and federal officials. The source of the infection – which would be the first in Delaware – is unknown. The CDC said the case in Delaware meets the definition of a “probable case,” which means […]
Dec 17, 2024
When The Pandemic Came, Zoos Closed, And Animals Began to Act Differently
Science Alert We all had to make adjustments as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded – even zoo animals who were suddenly not seeing crowds of visitors pass by every single day. In a study published in 2022, researchers discovered how primates reacted to that shift, looking at the behavior of bonobos, chimpanzees, western lowland gorillas, and olive baboons, and […]
Dec 17, 2024
Alarming Mutation in H5N1 Virus Raises Pandemic Red Flags
Sci Tech Daily A recent study published in Science and funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has found that a single alteration in a protein on the surface of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus—currently present in U.S. dairy cows—could significantly increase its potential for human-to-human transmission. These findings highlight the critical importance of ongoing […]
Dec 17, 2024
Another Pandemic Is Inevitable, and We’re Not Ready
Bloomberg President-elect Trump’s picks to lead the nation’s top public health agencies also don’t inspire confidence. Every week or so, scientists issue another warning that the H5N1 bird flu is inching closer to exploding into a pandemic. Despite having contended with a pandemic that broke out less than five years ago, the US has no solid plan to handle […]
Dec 17, 2024
Fewer teens are using alcohol, cigarettes and marijuana than before the pandemic
Philly Voice Substance use fell among adolescents when COVID-19 hit. Those declines have continued – to the surprise of some experts. he majority of teenagers in the U.S. do not drink, smoke or use marijuana, a new report shows. The percentage of teens abstaining from alcohol, tobacco and marijuana in 2024 was the highest since […]
Dec 17, 2024
5 animals die after bird flu exposure at Arizona zoo; 25 employees exposed to virus
USA Today Officials in Arizona this week said nearly a half-dozen animals including a cheetah and a mountain lion at a Phoenix-area zoo died and others are sick after being exposed to the bird flu. Maricopa County Department of Public Health officials reported the Wildlife World Zoo and Aquarium in Litchfield Park, about 20 miles west of Phoenix, […]
Dec 17, 2024
San Francisco Zoo keeping 2 exhibits closed after bird flu death confirmed
SF Gate The San Francisco Zoo is keeping some animals out of sight, hoping to protect them as cases of bird flu are found in the Bay Area. The zoo announced on Dec. 10 that the African Aviary and South American Tropical Rainforest & Aviary are closed to guests as “extra precautionary measures due to the risk of […]
Dec 17, 2024
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Detected in Ottawa County Flock
Morning Agriculture Following an investigation by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory has detected the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a commercial poultry facility from Ottawa County. This is the first detection of the disease in a Michigan poultry flock since May […]
Dec 17, 2024
LDH detects first presumptive positive human H5N1 case in Louisiana
Louisiana Dept of Health The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) has detected the first presumptive positive human case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), or H5N1, in Louisiana. The individual is a resident of southwestern Louisiana and is currently hospitalized. LDH’s Office of Public Health is coordinating with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention […]
Dec 17, 2024